The Story of Surfpreneurs: From Lisbon Cafés to a Global Community
Surfpreneurs was born in Lisbon in 2016, in the space between co-work sessions, surf sessions, strong Portuguese coffee, and delicious pastels. At the time, James was building SETT Surf while Peter was running Surf Office in the city.
The two met through mutual friends, quickly bonding over waves, espressos, and simply shooting the breeze. Despite working in completely different industries, they kept discovering insights they could share with each other.
“Even though our two businesses were in completely different industries, we often ended up talking about business,” James recalls. “The insights from the different perspectives we could provide each other were awesome. We thought, why don’t we try getting some people from the surf industry together. The rest, as they say, is history.”
Early Gatherings: Energy, Openness & Stoke
For James, those early gatherings felt like the business equivalent of a strong bottom turn in surfing.
“It’s the start of everything. It can all go wrong even before that point, or it can set you up to drive down the line and on to better things.”
He loved the feeling of driving off the bottom on a backhand bottom turn, just as he loved seeing everyone come together and enjoy themselves at the events. And, just like a bottom turn, there was always room to improve. No matter how well things went, there were lessons to learn and ways to get better — a process that any business founder or owner could relate to. That continual drive to improve, combined with the joy of shared experiences, became a constant motivator for James and the Surfpreneurs community.
The very first Surfpreneurs events came together with the same spirit of experimentation. Nobody knew if they would work. But once people showed up, it became clear something special was happening.
“My favorite memory is just thinking back on all the people, and their attitude,” James says. “Everyone was there to build something or improve their business, and they had come with an open mind to share what they know, and learn as much as they can from others.”
“When you have a bunch of people in that same mindset they become unstoppable.”
The Pause: When Life & COVID Hit
Like many communities, Surfpreneurs faced a pause when COVID-19 hit. In-person meetups — the heartbeat of the project — weren’t possible. Both founders also became new parents, which added another layer of change.
“Peter and I were personally impacted quite differently,” James explains. “I was back working a day job and had quite a lot of pressure to work and support my team during lockdowns, so I didn’t have much time for Surfpreneurs. Peter, on the other hand, was massively impacted with travel restrictions limiting Surf Office’s ability to serve clients. That meant he actually had some time in the early days of COVID to grow the community online, supporting members who were finding it hard, particularly in the travel and hospitality space.”
Though the community went quieter, it never disappeared. “It has always been there bubbling away in the background,” James says. “Both Peter and I always intended to reignite it when the time was right.”
The Relaunch: New Chapter, Same Spirit
The solution, he says, lies in realistic planning, prioritisation, and not being too hard on himself when things don’t happen overnight. His guiding principle: consistency over time, trusting that small, steady actions add up to bigger results.
He also recognises that rebuilding Surfpreneurs isn’t something to carry alone. Accepting help — especially from Lina, whose energy and vision have been vital to the relaunch — has been a powerful reminder of what the community is all about: sharing the load, lifting each other up, and growing stronger together.
“Lots of small things can add up to much bigger things.”
A few years later, Surfpreneurs is alive again, with James at the helm. For him, reigniting the project was both a labor of love and a deliberate choice.
“Surfpreneurs was always a side project for Peter and me, but we also knew it had a special spark. It has special people, it has created opportunities for many members (including Peter and me), and it’s simply too much fun to not work on,” he explains.
Peter, now fully focuses on growing Surf Office, and, therefore stepped back from his co-founder role but continues to participate as an engaged member. Their collaboration has come full circle, with each supporting the community in the ways they can.
Of course, relaunching hasn’t come without challenges. For James, the biggest one has been finding the time and energy to give Surfpreneurs the attention it deserves while also being present for his family and keeping up with a demanding day job.
Today’s Mission & Tomorrow’s Vision
What matters is that they’re eager to share what they know and learn from others.”
That ethos has already created real impact, from valuable business collaborations to charitable donations supporting kids in Lisbon to access surfing.
And at the core of it all? A simple but powerful set of values:
Be selfless with your time and knowledge – give more than you take.
Respect others and their opinions (don’t be a dick).
Work hard, do a good job, and enjoy it.
As Surfpreneurs evolves, James sees its mission clearly: to be a hub of human connection, knowledge-sharing, and stoke for anyone in the surf or lifestyle industry.
“In the future, I envision Surfpreneurs to be the first port of call for anyone in the surf or lifestyle industry to go for answers, inspiration or support,” he says.
What matters most isn’t revenue size or business stage — it’s attitude. “I hope to serve anyone who has the right attitude,” James explains. “It doesn’t matter if they run a long-running business with millions in revenue, or still have a professional day job and an idea they’re working on at night.
A Community Built on Stoke
Surfpreneurs has always been about more than just business. It’s about people who love surfing, love creating, and believe in lifting each other up.
“It’s special people,” James says simply. “That’s what makes it too much fun not to keep building.”
Start your surfpreneur journey now—adventure guaranteed.
Interviewed by Lina Heller
Ocean-lover, wanna-be surfer, and yoga teacher. Helping surfers and creatives ride both waves and ideas. Always curious, slightly chaotic, but fully here for good vibes and better stories.
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